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<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Delhi government’s new City Taxi Scheme 2017 will soon have a cap for the minimum and maximum fares for app-based taxi aggregators such as Ola and Uber plying in the Capital, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot told DNA.The ride-hailing apps can charge passengers “in between minimum and maximum fares set by the government,” the minister said.”The draft is being finalised. We are holding meetings with the stakeholders and will soon be putting the draft in the public domain for inviting suggestions,” he said.The scheme — to regulate taxis including aap-based aggregators — aims to bring all taxis plying in the city under a uniform rule. The scheme will fix the fares, benefits and terms of services for all the taxis. The app-based cabs so far were not bound by the taxi rules of the city government.The scheme will also facilitate tracking of app-based taxi aggregators by the transport department’s control room. The AAP government had earlier stated it will be tracking all public transport vehicles in view of ensuring safety of women.”We will be tracking all the public transport vehicles. While all the buses, auto rickshaws and taxis including Kali-Peelis are being tracked, once the app-based cabs are brought under the scheme, these too will be tracked by the government,” said Gahlot.DNA had earlier reported that the upcoming policy is likely to be bifurcated into taxis and technology-based aggregators.The bifurcation will mean the app-based aggregators such as Ola-Uber will will be able to procure permits to ply as on-demand transportation technology with fixed fares and service benefits for employees (drivers) unlike at present.The Delhi High Court in 2014 had suspended the operations of Uber after its driver was accused of raping a passenger. The new rules will require cab aggregators to install panic button, PSV badges, fixed hours of work and no surge pricing.The scheme, being readied by the state transport authority, is to be reviewed by Gahlot in the coming week after which it will be sent to the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.The policy is being readied as per the Centre’s Motor Vehicles Act Amendment Bill 2016 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988.According to officials, section 93 of the Act which does not allow anyone to engage as an agent or canvasser for sale of tickets for travel by public service vehicles or in otherwise soliciting customers for such vehicles.REGULATORY MEASURESRecently the Karnataka and Maharashtra state governments formulated new polices for regulating taxis and aggregators.
The two state governments brought in the Karnataka On-demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules 2016 and the Maharashtra City Taxi Scheme 2016, respectively to license app-based cab services.